Analysts suggest legislation to implement white paper reforms may not come forward before May local elections

The government is unlikely to bring forward its planning bill this year and may even delay it until after next year鈥檚 May local elections, according to planning experts.

It has faced a huge backlash from its own backbench MPs since publishing proposals to reform the planning system in August, which included a white paper, Planning for the Future, proposing the zoning of land and the abolition of section 106.

Green belt land

Proposals were published in August but publication of the bill is facing delay until after next May鈥檚 local elections

Measures in the white paper will require primary legislation to be brought into effect, but Hugh Ellis, director of policy at the Town and Country Planning Association, said officials at the department had told him the bill was unlikely to be published before the end of the year.

He said: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very clear it won鈥檛 be delivered on the timetable originally indicated 鈥� it鈥檚 not going to happen as quick as the cadre around Number 10 want it to.鈥�

The government has promised to have the planning system envisaged in the white paper up and running before the end of this parliament, which experts say is likely to require publishing the bill this year, given the time needed to enact legislation and the 30 months needed by councils to work up new-style local plans.

A white paper is normally seen as the direct precursor to legislation but planning QC Christopher Katkowski, one of a tight circle of advisors to the government while it was drawing up the plans, said he now expects the government to further 鈥渇lesh out the details needed to make the changes proposed in the white paper鈥� prior to introducing a bill to enact them.

David Scane, associate partner at public affairs firm Newgate, said the threat of campaigns against the reforms by residents groups in the local elections due next May meant the government will likely wait until after then to publish the bill.

Tory opposition to the government鈥檚 planning reforms have focused on the proposed revision to a formula used to calculate local housing need, which is not itself part of the wider white paper reforms and doesn鈥檛 require legislation.

However, a handful of MPs have spoken out against the white papers proposals to grant automatic outline planning permission within local plans. Paul Bartlett, Conservative deputy leader of Ashford council, said the government鈥檚 white paper proposals threatened local democracy. 鈥淚t beggars belief. My only presumption is that [housing secretary Robert] Jenrick didn鈥檛 see the white paper before publication,鈥� he said, adding: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a system more akin to something you鈥檇 find in North Korea.鈥�

A spokesperson for the housing ministry declined to comment directly on the prospect of a delay to the legislation, saying only that the government would set out its next steps 鈥渋n due course鈥�.

He added: 鈥淲e鈥檙e reforming the country鈥檚 outdated planning system to deliver the high-quality, sustainable homes communities need, placing environmental protection, community engagement and sustainability at the heart of our reforms.鈥�

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